Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-10-17
TO FAST FORTY DAYS.
THE STRANGE HALLUclNAT!oN OF
A FARMER.

A FARMER.
He Believes He is the Prophet Elias,
and. Under Divine Obligation to Alb
stain From Food-wonders to BE
worked-A Unique Case.
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. l5.-E. j. Jen-
kins, an Englishman, 80 years cd who
Is living at the southeast corner OF Tween
ty-frst and ~BaInbrigde streets, this city,
has not tasted food for more than three
weeks, and says he intends to fast forty
two days. All efforts to induce him to
eat has failed, and Friday he had com
pleted abe twenty-fourth day Of his fast.
The last meal that he eat was on the 18th
day of September. He told q reporter
that he was under a divine obligation 70
his Creator to abstain from food Tor for
ty-two days. Jenkins is a big broad.
shouldered man, with q benevolent face
and winning smile, n wonderful physi-
que, silvery hair aud white mu%tton-chop
whiskers, and has a deep rich voice and a
keen eye. He left his home in Cornwall
a month ago, and arrived in this city
about the lst of September.
He says that he did not know until he
sailed from England that he was TO come
to this city, and that he received O iivine
communication, on the 18th of September
to go through the fast of the Prophet
Elias, or Elijah, who according to the
Old Testament abstained from fcAd for
forty days uni nights. jenkins says he
is not doing the Tanner act, and at first
refused ia Talk about his semi.starvation,
because" he said, sit was none of the
publlc's business and wss a confidential
compact made between himself and his
Creator" Before he left his English
home he was a farmer on the Cornish
coast, and since 1853 he says he has been
q professor Of religion.
He walked into the cigar store of Mrs.
Thomas McCafferty at Twenty-first and
cambridge streets, on his arrivh., in this
city, and asked for lodging. Mrs. Nc
Catferty asked him if he wanted board,
too, and he replied that he did not eat.
Mrs. McCafferty was surprised at this.
information, and at first hesitated about
accommodating the stranger, but she was
80 taken with the old mans honest face
and genial m that she called her
husband, Thomas McCafferty, and after
a short consultation they decided to rent
the man u furnished room. Mrs. Nc
Caferty and her husband talked over the
strangers refusal to eat for the first day
or two, and then children also wondered
at jenkins behavior; but, after a few
days, when the family saw how de-
termined the man was, and how inoffen-
slye he was, as he had entertained them
with amusing stories of his travels, he
won their regard, and ever since they
have treated him with the most thorough
reverence and respect. To the family he
seldom refers to what he calls his divine
obligation to abstain from food.
jenkins weighed 212 pounds when he
began his long fast. He nov weighs 1914
pounds. His loss Of eighteen pounds has
told on him in the loose manne In which
his clothes fit him. He has been grow
ing weak since Sunday, and he was
weaker Friday than he has been vet.
His lips have lost their color. They are
parched and %bloodless. Hir face. which
was rudy, is bleached white. His ewes
are growing dull and all exertion tells on
him.. Ii he walks about the room much
he soon becomes exhausted. He drinks
Two or three glasses of water during the
day and spends the time in a rocking
chair reading books and the newspapers,
he does not read a bik..Go or any religious
works. He said that he had a strong ap-
petite but no desire to eat, because he
had promised his creator to keep his fast
faithfully.
While the McCafferty family were sit
ting at the supper table he sat in his
rocking-chair and talked with them
pleasantly about his fast. He told Mrs.
McCafferty; After my fast is up ]
shall fill up for three weeks, but all the
gold in the world and all the people in ii
could not induce me to taste food until
the SOth of October is passed.
Jenkins said to the reporter. 'eTep
years ago had an inspiration by a cloud
OF fire coming oyer me that / was the
Prophet Elias foretold by Malachi, whc
prophesied that Elias would come back
again. / have come back again. Ihaye
come to peach the final unifcation of tbs
world. My fast is for the purpose o,
sanctiflcation. There may be those whc
think this ridiculous. but this is a mat.
ter between me and my maker. I be.
lev that the word of God will be taught
throughout the world in the English Ian.
guage, that priests may be done away
~
with, and that every man will be his own
priest.
s'Ihe public a think this nonsense II
they like, but their criticisms can not
possibly affect my inspiration or the com
nunion between me and my Creator,
which is father to the inspiration. The
mere fact.of fasting as DR.. Tanner did
was a show for the World. lam here in
o different undertaking.. ar simnly
preparing myself for the work that ha.
been mapped out for me to do.
II shall recuperate for three weeks
after my fast is ended, and about the
Soth Of November / shall sail for Austria
liza. On my arrival there I shall begin
the work of revolutionizing the system d
enlightening all mankind in the matte,
OF teaching the Bible.
Conservation of Bishop Bonscum.
ST. LOUIS, Oct. 15.-Arrangements
were completed for the conservation Of
Bishop Bonacnm, of Lincoln, Neb. by